A voluntary association



July 6 1926. v 1,591,672

R. M. FQLSOM ET AL METHOD OF DISTILLING BITUMINOUS COAL WITH RECOVERY OF GASEOUS DISTILLATE I FilFd August 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (We/amiss R011 2' 0nd July 6 1926. 1,591,672

R. M. FOLSOM ET AL METHOD OF DISTILLING BITUMINOUS COAL WITH RECOVERY OF GASEOUS DISTILLATE Fi August 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 177/3267? 2707's 120710? 7 20 21$ 0 Ta.

fax? Z05 7. fla gi'wond.

Patented July 6, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT M. FOLElOM, O13 READING, AND GI-IAlFtLEEl A. RAYMQNID, 01F ESSEX, MASSA- METHOD OF :DISTILLING' BITUMINOU$ GOAL "WITH l'tl lOO'V'ERY OF EtASTiClUS DIESTILLATE.

GHUElETTS, ASSlQGNClItEl 'lltl NEW IllllilGl-LAIND FUEL AND TRANSPORTA'IION GOMPANY,

012 BOSTON, MASSACHUEEETTEL VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION.

Application filed August 19, 195555.

Car invention relates to methods of aatilling bituminous coal for producing coke with recovery oil? the gaseous distillate.

The invention as will hereinafter more fully appear has among its objects the recovery of an economically valuable traction of the gaseous distillate hereto'lore wasted by prior methods with the elimination of smoke and danger to the operators, and will be best understood from the following description when read in light oil the accompanying drawings illustrating an exampleof apparatus for carrying out the improved method while the scope oi? the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. In the drawings Fig. 1 shows a transverse section of one form of apparatus for carrying out our method;

Fig. 2 is the "front elevation according to Fig. 1;

is a section showing a detail (it the door closing that end oi the oven adjacent the leveling machine; and

Fig. l is a plan of a :tragi'i'ient oil the level bar.

Vi e will tirst describe by reference to the drawings a preferred example oi" apparatus for use in carrying out our improved meth-- od, it being understood that we are not limited to this exai'nple.

In the drawings we have illustrated a battery of horinontal elongated cokeoveus l, the ovens being arranged parallel to each other in closely at liaceut relation as is illustrated in Fig. 2. and the battery in practice commonly eonsistlng of from ten to one hundred ovens.

point intermediate its length,

is length any th v ot the oven.

rei'crably he clung iilietaii Serial No. 51,124.

tially oi the same width as the oven, is closer during the distilling and coking operations by a cover 8 illustated in Fig. 1 as lying on the root of the oven beside the charging opening.

Coal is delivered through the openings 7' by gravity from the chute 9 ot the hopper 11 ot a coal larry somewhat diagrannnatically illustrated at The larry conveniently is mounted for movement longitudinally of the battery on tracks 15 carried above the ovens so that the chute 9 may be presented to the charging openings of the several ovens of the battery as desired.

OVQllS.

The leveling machine coi'nprises a leveling ha]- 520 actuated by machinery (not shown.) carried by the leveling n'iachine, the leveling bar when in operation reoiyn'ocating in a line passing beneath the charging opening.

As illustrated. the leveling bar comprises a pair of spaced side men'ibers 2i, connected at spaced points by transverse mom hers the leveling bar is reciprocated coal is entrained in the interstices between the transverse tnen'ihers-i E21 and thus moved through the oven.

The operator controls the actuation oi. the leveling bar so that it is reciprocated as desired with varying lengths oil? stroke and. with varying an'iounts oil extension into the oven so as to operate on the coal at ditl'erent points in the oven,

thus enabling the operator to remove the coal from beneath the charging opening and uniformly distribute it throughout the length of the oven. In addition to the leveling: bar the level ing machine conveniently is provided with a pusher (not shown) :tor pushing the coke out of the ends 23 of the ovens at the completion of the coking operation.

its the pushing apparatus and the leveling apparatus are Well known n the art and as they tor.

For closing;

n no part of Dill lllil'inliltiil they will not he l urther described 5 7 he ends oil: the ovens we have illustratedvertically moving doors 24: which doors are closed during the, charging and coking periods and are opened to permit the coke to be pushed out of the oven at the completion of the coking-operation. For permitting" entry into it ie oven of the levelingbar during the charging operation the door 2d adjacent the leveling; machine is provided with an opening or chuck hole :25, 3) 01" suliicient size conveniently to ,vpermit passage of the leveling; 3&1, the openingilheing provided with a door or chuck I ,26' hinged to the door 2d "at 27 'lfor closing the open ng aiterthe bar'ls withdrawn '18 Y31. and 32 running'the length or" the ha ter i of ovens at each side thereof said mains acting to' place an olitalre pipejtor one even in communication with otl'talre pipes "for other ovens so that the mains are effective for conducting the vgaseous disti late "from a number of ovens to suitable apparatus for moving, treating and disposing; or storing thegaseousdistillate. For moving the gaseous'distillate through the pipes 31 and 32 -we subject these pipes to suction preferably employing for this purpose exhaust tans,

' steam ejectors, or equivalent devices commonly'usediin connection with apparatus of the kind described.

It will be understood that wnen fresh coal is charged to'the oven it is rich in constituents for forming the aseous distillate and that these constituents aredistilled off inigreat volume at the beginning; of the distilling operation, the volume of the distil late rapidly decreasing as the operation progresses. Further it will be understood that not only the volume of the distillate but alsoits richness decreases as the dis- ,tillinn operation progresses. Thus when coal is first chargedto the even a greatvolume cit-highly volatile and rich gas is dis- I tilled otfand the volume and richness oi the gas gradually decrease as the operation continues. In practice we have found that for a distilling and cooking operation of twenty hours duration the relation ot the volume of distillate generated during the first hour to the volume 0t distillate generated during the last hour is in the order of d5 to 2.

In carrying out our'improvedmethod the battery of ovens is operated continuously and preferably in such amanner that separate ovens are being pushed and recharged successively at regular intervals, that is to pletion, and consequently that the the mains 31 and 32 are sulijcci say it for example the battery contains 50 ovens and the duration ot the distilling and coking operation on each individual oven is 20 hours a ditlerent oven of the battery will be pushed and recharged approxiuiateiy every 2 L minutes, It will be observed that with this method of operation the distilling and coking operations tor the several ovens ol the battery at any given time will have proceeded in a dill'ereut degree toward couivolume and'richness ot distillate given oh" by the several ovens of the battery at any given time will be different. i

'For economically utilizing; the distillate we have tound in many instances that the rich and the lean should be separately collected, and to accoinolish this sult we connect all he ovens oi' the battery during the first pa t of the distilling and coking operation with one oi the mains, fr: the main 31 and all 02" the ovens oi the battery during the Final part of this operation to the other niain'SQ, both mains being subjected to auction. For securing this particulur result, when the distilling operation on a particular oven reaches the point where the lean gas is generated communication s established between that 0 en and the main 32 and communication is interrupted between that oven and the main ill by respoctively opening the valve 30 associated with toe main 3:2 and closing the valve 30 associated with the main ol. li separate utilization of the rich and the lean gases is desired the mains 3L and 32 will lead to separate places oi disposal or sti'u'agu of the conducted hythein, in which case the gas collected by the main 31 may economically be used for domestic supply purposes ant the gas collected by the main M may 0.; be used for indi trial supply urposes. It separate utilu ion of the rich and the lean gases is not desired the gases conducted by he mains and 352 nyay he mined by lead ing he gases to a common place ol? posal or storage, in which case both mains may conimunicate with the several ovens throughout the entire period of (llSilllQl'lOll, or one o! these mains may be used to collect all the gins except. the excess generated during the charging operation as will hereinatlcr he more fully explained.

"Not necessarily but ordinurilv when rich and lean gases are se arately collected it will be found advantageous to i uhject the main 32 collecting lean gas or th ex fiws of gas generated during the charging operation to a greater suction than the main lVhen separately collecting the rich and the lean gases the degree of suction to which ed and the length of time an oven is c-zmnccted to each of these mains are for a given coal to a large extent governed by the 01;: ct nature ol the by the leveling ot the coal the opposite ends ofthe oven are effectively isolated from each -other by the coal under the charging opening; Thus while the rich distillate at the end of the oven adjacent t-he'mam 31' may enter that'main, the rich distillate at the op 1 posite end ot'the oven is prevented from do- -1ng so, and is forced to enter the main 32.

On abattery *ot'liity ovens separately col- ,lectin "IlCli and lean as oi erated according to our improvedmethod we have round "that the increased amount of rich distillate recovered raises the heat value of the lean gas delivered by the main 32 about t. u. per cubic fOOte as compared with the prior amethod.

As heretofore explained. during the charging. operation and immedia ely following it =the1er1chjdistillateinay be generatedat v a relatively large volume beyond the capacity otithe mainll to; remove all of it trointhe oven as fast as it is generated it and when all the gas-has access to it,, audit will he .observed thatby opening the valve ld associatedwiththemain 32 we have effected collection otarich' distillate in excess of the capacityrofjthe main 31 and an increase in .the :suction on the oven by -increasing both the eftective'ot'talie areaeand the effective degrceiot suction; the latter; following from the tact *that .each main 31, 32 issubjected to. suction. The increased suction ell'ective-.

causesaall the distillate generated during it-he charging operation to flow into the mains 131 and 32zand revent theescane otdistill-ate through the' chuck'hole or other inci- All? throughout the charging operation.

by suction at-eaclrside ot'thecharging opening. By 'efllecting olitake of distillate by suction; at each side of the charging open- "ings-ot theovens we cause a :flOW of gas ain opposite directions/them the charging p :openings,- thus preventing 1 escape of gas throughsthe charging openings if the flow of coalqfrom the larry is accidentally or 'zdeliberately interrupted for any reason,

which-escape. of gaswould occur due to the low specilic gravity ot-the gas it it were caused tofioW past the charging openings. :It will be understood that-the degree of suction to which the oven issubjected need "not be-such as to cause a pressure below atmospheric it being sufficient that thegas pressure inthe oven is-lower than'that pressure'wliielrwould cause the escape of gas through the coalsealing the charging openthis gas by its pressure will be forced through the charging holes or other openings andv the interstices of the oven walls to the exterior oi the oven with resultant loss of distillate and formation of dense clouds of smoke. It twodistillate discharge.openings and three charging points were provided, for example the above mentioned assumed charging points 37 in addition to the single charging point 7 illustrated in the sulnnitted example of apparatus for carrying out'our method, a particularly violent discharge of distillate and smoke would he forced through the opening 7.

Although our method may be practiced on ovens provided witha plurality of charging openings we have, found that a larry with. single chute is lighter in weight than one with a plurality of chutes and that it cheaper to imuiuitacture, which results in lower installation costs, yet it can be used to charge the same oven with greater easeof operation and a saving of labor costs. \Ve have tounch for example that the provision of a single charging opening insures ei'fecting complete sealing ot the oven by the cou during the char 'ingvand leveling operations whereas it more than one charging opening is employed it is imposible to prevent the coal being drawn entirely out of one'or-more charging openingsin attempting to spread the coal below other charging openings which will be obvious from a consideration of Fig. l of the drawings 1t it is assumed thelevehng ba r is operating on the pile oi coal under the left hand charging opening 37, which will draw coal not" only away from the left hand charging openingbut also away from the other two charging openings with the result that the coal will be drawn entirely from one or vbothof the latter openings if the larry hecomes empty during this operation. it being unclerstoodtluit in order to draw sutlicicnt coal into the even by use of the leveling bar the left hand pile of coal must be operated upon after all the coal that inii ially will fall into/the oven through the left hand charging opening has entered the oven. It will be observed that the more charging openings employed the greater the proportion of the .charge thatinitially falls into the oven and roof oi the oven, level ing thefcoal aifte root thereof with recovery for use of gaseous products by suction during substantially the entire operation, which comprises de livering bituminous. coal to the ovens while hot through the-charging openings, effecting:- seaiing ot. the charging. openings d-uringthe charging operations, coll cting the rich gaseous products rapidly generated during the charging operations by eilecting. otftake-ot gaseous products by suction at opposite sides of the char ing openings, the effective degree of suction on each oven dun mg the charging operation thereon being materially infexcess of .the degree of suction eous products for effecting collection of from the other ovens of the battery already 1 charged and generating a normal volume or gaseous products,

8. That method of operating a battery of exteriorly heatedcolte ovensleach having a substantially single charging opening in the roofthereof with recovery for use of gaseous products by suction during substantially the-,entire' operation, which comprises de livermgbituminous coal to the ovens while.

hot through the charging openings, effectingisealingof the char ing openings during the charging operations, collecting the rich gaseous products rapidly generated during the charging operations by effecting otltalre of gaseousproducts by suction at opposite sides ,ofthe' chargingopenings, the effective 1 aggregate otitalze area and the effective degree of suction for. each oven. duringthe: charging operation thereon beinginaterially in excess of the ofitalre area and tie degree offsuction for effecting collection :01 gaseous products from the other ovens or the battery already charged and generating a normal volumeotgaseous products.

V 9. That method ofoperating a battery of exteriorly heated coke. ovens with collection for use of gaseousproducts by suction during substantially the entire operation, which comprises delivering bituminous coal by gravity to each oven while hot through substantially single chargingopening in th passing through. the. charging vopening while .uninterruptedly effecting d livery or coal to thecharging;openings in amounts substantiallyequal to those removed lrom beneath the charging openings by the level ing operations whereby during thecharging operations the charging openings are sealed by the coal, and effecting a continuous collection of the gaseous products "during the charging and leveling operations at points at opposite sides of the charging openings through ojtl tahes subjected to suction.v

10. That method of operating a battery of exteriorly heated colie ovens with recovery of gaseous products by suction during substantially the entire operation, which comprises delivering bituminous coal by gravity to the ovens while hot through charging openings in the roots of the ovens, leveling the coal after passing through the charging openings while uninterrupledly effecting delivery of coal to the charging openings in amounts substantially equal to those removed from beneath the charging openings by the leveling operations whereby during the charging operations the charg openings are sealed by the coal, collecting the rich gaseous products rapidly generated during the charging operations by ell'ecting ofitalre of gaseous products at opposite sides of the charging openings by suction, and after completion of the charging operations on each oven eliecting a decrease in the eli'ective suction thereon.

ll. Thatinethod oi operating a battery of exteriorly heated coke ovens with recovery for use oi gaseous products by suction during substantially the entire operation, which comprises delivering bituminous coal by gravity to each oven while hot through a substantially single charging opening in the root of tie oven, leveling the coal after passing through the charging openings while uninterruptedly ell'ecting. delivery of coal to .the charging openings in amounts substantially equal to those removed from beneath the charging openings by the leveloperations whereby during the charging and leveling operations the charging openingsare sealed by the coal, eliecting a continuous. collection of the gaseous products during the charging operations, until the coal is leveled, at points at opposite sides oi. thecharging openings through dill'ercnt oiltalres subjected to suction, and after completion of the leveling of the coal ellccting closure of the olltalres at one side of the charging openings.

- 12. That method of operating a battery of euteriorly heated coke ovens with recovery for use of gaseous products by suction during substantially the entire operation, which comprises delivering bituminous coal by gravity to each oven \vhilc hot through a substantially single charging opening in the root of the oven, leveling the coal after passingithrough the charging openings while uninterruptedly ei'l'ecting delivery of coal to the chargingopenings in amounts substantially equal to those removed from beneath the charging openings by the leveling operations whereby during the charging operations the charging openings are sealed by the coal, effecting a continuous collection of the gaseous products during the charging operations, until. the coal is leveled, at points at opposite sides of the charging openings throiiigh o'l'ltaltes to ditlerent battery mains for rich and lean gas respectively subjected to dill'erent degrees of suction, the degree ot suction for the main, :lor lain being greater than that tor the main for rich gas, and after connraletion oil? the leveling of the coal effecting closure oi? the olitakes to the main for lean gas and thereafter etliecting closure ()ii the olital'ces to the main lior rich gas while eilecting opening oi the olitalies to the main tor lean gas.

13. That method oli operating a battery of horizontal coke ovens with collection for use of gaseous products, which COlIlPlilSQS charging each oven through the root thereof by gravity at a substantially single charging point intermediate the length of the oven, leveling the coal while uninterruptedly delivering the coal in amounts substantially equal to those removed from beneath the charging point by the leveling operation, and etlecting ()l'ltitlk'fi cl by suction at points adjacent opposite ends of the oven during substantially the entire distilling period beginning with the initiation or? the charging operation.

1. 1:. That method of distilling bituminous coal with recovery for use oi? gaseous prod ucts utilizing a lnittery oil cxteriorly heated coke ovens, which comprises pushing and charging the ovens oi the battery consecutively, etl ecting a separate collection for use by battery gas ol'ltahe mains of the rich and lean gas from the battery respectively gen erated in individual ovens during ditlferent portions of the period following charging and leveling the coal therein while subjecting the battery o'lltake mains to suction, charging the coal to the ovens while hot through chargii'ig openings in the roofs oi the ovens, and eli'ecting a discharge of the gas generated during the charging operation for each oven into both the rich and lean gas olitake mains of the battery. v

15. That method of distilling bituminous coal with recovery for use of gaseous prod ucts utilizing a battery oi? exteriorly heated coke ovens each ha vii'ig a substantially single cl'iarging opening in the root thereof, which compr es pushing and charging the ovens oi the battery conscmutively, effecting a separate collection by battery olli'talie mains ot' the rich and lean gas :trorn the battery respectively generated in individual ovens during ditierent portions oi the period "following cluirging and leveling the coal therein while subjecting the battery o'll'take mains to suction, charging the coal to the ovens while hot through the charging openings,

e'tl'ecting sealing of the charging openings of the ovens while the coal is being charged thereto and leveled, and cllccting a discharge of the gas generated during the charging operation 'lor each oven into both the rich and lean gas otlitalte mains o'l the battery.

10. That method of distilling bituminous coal with 'rccovi-:ry for use of gaseous products, utilizing a battery oi exteriorly heated colte ovens each having a substantially single charging opening in the root tluereol, which crmnprises pushing and charging the ovens oi? the battery consecutively, ell'ecting a col lcction through openings commin'ricating with a battery gas olitahc main o1 gas generated by hulividual ovens beginning with the initiation oi the charging operations, charging the coal to the ovens while hot, ell ccting sealirur oil the ovens while the coal is being charged thereto and leveled, and collecting the gas generated during the charging and leveling operations in excess oi? the capacity of the main to remove it liroi'n the ovens by eliecting separate o'l'ltalce oi such excess through openings imlcpemh-nitly subjected to suction.

17. That method oi? distilling bituminous coal with recovery for use of gaseous prod ucts, utilizing a battery of extcriorly heated coke ovens each having a substantially single charging rnaening in the root thereof, which comprises consecutively pushing and charging the ovens, ell'ecting by battery gas oil talte mains subjected to suction a continuous collection of gas at points at opposite sides of the charging openings of the battery of ovens gene. ited by individual ovens begin ning with the initiations of the charging operations, charging the coal to the ovens while hot, and effecting sealing of the ovens by the coal while the coal being charged. thereto and leveled.

18. That method of distilling bituminous coal with recovery :tor use of gaseous distillate, utilizing a battery of exteriorly heated coke ovens, which COlTllJl'iSBS pushing and charging the ovens ot the battery con-- secutively, effecting a collection by a battery gas oli take main subjected to suction of gas from the battery of ovens generated by individual ovens beginning with the initiation of the charging operation, charging the coal to the ovens while hot, etlecting sealing of the ovens while the coal is being charged thereto and leveled, and collecting the gas generated. during the charging and leveling operation in. excess of the gas collecting capacity oi the main to remove it tl'ron'i the even by iiecting during the charg ing and leveling operations on each oven oil'- take oil such excess by increasing the suction on the oven to a value above that to which it is subjected by said main.

19. That method oi distilling bituminous coal with recovery for use of gaseous prodill) ucts utilizinga batteryot' exterior-1y heated cokeovens, which comprises" pnshingand charging the ovens of the battery conseeutively, separately collecting the rich and lean gas generated by the ovens oi' the battery respectively through di'tferentell'talre openings in the ovens subjected to suction, effecting a greater suction on the openings collecting lean'gas than on those collecting rich gas,

charging the ovens while hot through charging openings in the roots thereof and situated intermediate the otl'take openings for collecting richand-lean gas, leveling the coal after passage through the charging openings While deliveringcoal to the chargingopenings -uninteriaiptedly in amounts substantial-ly' equal to these removed froinbeneath the charging openings during the leveling coal to each oven while hot through a substantiallyi single chargingopening in the root otth oven-at a point'interinediate its ends,

leveling the coal While uninterruptedly delivering thecharge to the charging opening lH- ZWQOUD CS substantially equal to those removed-from beneath the opening by the levehng operation whereby -durin g the charging and leveling. operations the charging opening is sealed by the coal, elfecting continuous ofitake of gaseous products'by suction from the ovens at opposite sides of the charging openings-beglnningiwith the nntiations of the charging operations, and charging and pushingthecvens of the battery consecutively.

21. That method oroperating a battery of eziteriorly heated, elongated, horizontal coke ovens, which comprises sealing the ovens duringlhe charging and leveling operations by delivering the charge of coal to each oren through a substantially single charging opening in the root of the oven at a point intermediate its ends, leveling the coal while uninterruptedly delivering the charge to said charging opening in amounts substantially equal to these removed from beneath the charging o ening by the leveling operation, and il'eccing during the charging and leveh ingoperations and thereafter oiltakc of gaseous products from opposite sides of the charging openings by suction at points above the coal.

22. 'ihat-rnethodoi' operating a battery 01 exteriorly heated, elongated, horizontal coke ovens for distilling bituminous coal and hav ing charging openings in the roofs thereof intermediate their ends, which comprises charging the ovens while hot, and removing, during the charging operations, the gaseous products generated from the coal delivered through said'openings to the ovens, while preventing escape of said products from the ovens through said openings, by delivering the coal to said openings by gravity, leveling the coal in the ovens as the coal gravitates thereinto through saidopenings, \vhile supplyi g the coal to said openings in amounts sufficient to keep them sealed by the coal during the charging operations, and simultaneously withdrawing said gaseous products by suction at points at opposite sides of said openings.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to thisspecification.

ROBERT M. FOLSOM. CHARLES A. RAYMOND. 

